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International Team Identifies Patterns of Melanin Production Variation and its Potential Impact on Fungal Pathogen Virulence

IIDR news covered recent work by Himeshi and colleagues from North America, Europe, and Asia, where the production of melanin from 54 differing C. neoformans strains was quantified. The objective of their study was to assess the contribution of genetic, environmental, and genotype-environment interaction factors on variations in melanin production within their study population.

The team’s study is the first of it’s kind to look at the relationship between natural genetic variation and virulence trait expression in a human fungal pathogen – research that helps to shed light on the origin, evolution, and genetic and environmental impacts of fungal pathogen virulence.